CVE-2026-112208: Keycloak-services: keycloak-services: account takeover via stale sso_auth note in organization identity-first login
A flaw was found in the Keycloak Organization identity-first login flow. The vulnerability is caused by a failure to clear the SSO re-authentication flag (SSOAUTH note) when a flow transition occurs, such as moving to the reset-credentials or registration path, even though the authenticated user is removed from the authentication session. An attacker with valid credentials in two or more organizations can exploit this by initiating an organization-scoped authorization request, triggering a flow transition, and then submitting a victim's username. The Organization authenticator incorrectly trusts the stale re-authentication flag as valid proof of identity for the new username. Successful exploitation allows a remote attacker with Low privileges to perform a full account takeover, obtaining the victim's authorization code, access tokens, and a valid SSO session usable against downstream applications.
Other sources
A flaw was found in the Organization identity-first login flow of the Keycloak authentication server. Keycloak is an open-source identity and access management solution used to secure modern applications and services. The issue occurs when an attacker who belongs to multiple organizations initiates a login and then switches to a registration or password reset path. During this process, a flag indicating a successful login is not properly cleared when the user is removed from the session. An attacker can then provide a victim's username, and the system incorrectly treats the stale flag as proof of the victim's identity. This allows the attacker to bypass authentication and gain full access to the victim's account and connected applications.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can exploit this issue?
An attacker needs valid credentials in two or more organizations and must be able to initiate an organization-scoped authorization request. Exploitation is remote, requires low privileges, and does not require user interaction.
What conditions make a deployment vulnerable?
The affected flow is the Organization identity-first login flow. The issue is triggered when a transition such as reset credentials or registration occurs and the SSO_AUTH note remains set after the authenticated user has been removed from the authentication session.
What is the impact of successful exploitation?
An attacker can take over the victim account and obtain the victim's authorization code, access tokens, and a valid SSO session. That SSO session can be used against downstream applications.